Chased today

Chris and I went on a chase late Friday. He was convinced it would turn severe, but unfortunately didn't. all we chased was rain and wind. We broke off around Fithian, against Chris's judgment. After supper, he informed me in an irritated tone that if we had stayed on it, the storm we were on turned tornadic just into Indiana and did damage. Dang it. Cant win this year.

Great Room

More progress yesterday. I got the hallway plywood down, and then started putting down more hardwood. When I got to the point of starting down the hallway, I didn't have to rip cut the first row, the measurement was perfect from the wall. Bill came over and removed unneeded outlets we ended up with by the fireplace and on the east wall. Debby was a busy lady today, she started painting the hallway in the dark green. We changed our mind, and are going to paint more walls in the dark green. We are going to do the front hall, do all of the spindle wall, above the chair rail, the beam, the little jut out on east wall, the bedroom hall, and the wall north of the hallway. It should tie in the colors nice.

After a long day of work, we went up town and bought a match to the present bookcases we have. The front hall will now be filled with bookcases. We also bought an iRobot Roomba. Mandi has one and loves it.

Garden walk

I worked the Master Gardener Garden walk on Saturday. While it was a long 8 hour day, it was a lot of fun! What beautiful gardens the homeowners have. My goodness the time and energy-let alone the money involved-- put into these properties are amazing. The 2 I worked were nicely done. I have a LOT of ideas for things I to do next year for landscaping! I cant wait!

Embarassing moment-but a fun tease for my son.

I worked the Master Gardener garden walk all day Saturday. The weather started out OK, but then we had a series of storms roll through for about an hour shortly after it started. One of the women I was working with was cold, so I checked my vehicle and found a coat she could use. When she put it on, she said-Steve, I found an extra item in the coat and pulled out a pair of womens panties. I thought quickly and said it wasn't my coat and hurried them to the vehicle. When I got back to the table there was some good natured teasing and a good laugh. I said it could be worse-it could be my 16 yr old sons coat! Or worse-my wife could find it and think it was MY coat. As I thought I decided to have some fun. When I got home I asked him is this YOUR coat. He said Yeah it is. I wondered where it was. I then said WHAT were womens panties doing in YOUR coat! He stammered and backpedaled so fast--It it must not be my coat. I was wrong. Its not my coat. After some back and forth, I let him off the hook with a good laugh. Sometimes its just too much fun being a dad.

Geothermal-almost done

Tim came yesterday and almost got the project completed. He has all the ductwork done, and hooked up the hot water heat system. The last thing to do is install the humidifier for winter usage! Will be interesting to see how this works! Its amazing how many people I have talked to that have geothermal or know someone that does. I have yet to talk to anyone that is unhappy with their systems.

great room-slow progress

I haven't posted in a week, progress was very slow. first, I had to work all week, so time was limited to late afternoon early evening. Then, I had some holes to patch in the 1/2" subfloor, which took time. Then I had to deal with tearout of the old floor in the hallway. Here has been the BIG snag--dealing with the doorways! If I just tear out at will, I run a very high risk of having the particle board chip out under the floors I am keeping. SO the search went on to find a way to score the doorways so when I tear out, it will tear out square. I tried a chisel-no good. I bought a rotozip tool, burned out a bit in 3 feet. After looking at some on-line video, I am going to try a different attachment and see what happens. If I can get this accomplished, then I can put down some more plywood and get to laying more floor.

Great room-more progress, landscaping

A good portion of Friday was spent filling in around the front foyer. With help from Bill, we had to measure backwards on each side of the wall, then measure backwards and draw a line. AFter it was all filled in each side matched exactly. WHEW!!! Then I got hardwood down to where I had to start laying plywood again.

Saturday afternoon furniture was moved around and another section of floor was cut out. After some cleanup, I put in some plywood, but didn't cut the part piece needed.

Deb worked on some maintenance on the landscaping we have done, and also some gardening.

Great room progress

I worked on the great room again today. I would have done better but had to make 3 trips to town to get little but necessary items. Try as I might, I just cant think of everything at once, or unexpected things turn up, causing a change in plans and needed items. I have 2 rows of plywood down, and about 3 ft wide of the floor is down. Debs Dad Bill helped most of the day, Debby helped me later in the day. Getting the first row in is critical, and takes a lot of time! One I got 3 rows in, I had to cut out the heat vents, thats done now. Bill or Deb lays out the rosin paper and the rows of wood, I install it. Boy Deb and I are so happy with the looks of the floor--the Hickory hardwood is beautiful! I bought a hardwood floor stapler-boy does that ever work good! Makes the job easier, other than the bending and kneeling. My muscles are really sore again tonight, its time for bed to rest up for tomorrow.

Great room-saga of the screw gun

I worked on the great room again today, but didn't make very good progress. A friend of ours bought a screw gun, then let me use it. I could NOT get this to work, would just sit and spin, wouldnt countersink screws, it was frustrating. I went to a store on my own, ended up buying a Makita, with a Quick Drive attachment. I had trouble with it, so went back, and he had trouble with it too. After some work with it--it turned out I had it set up wrong--boy will this ever put the screws in. I only got 1 row of plywood in, but look forward to getting a good day in Thursday on the floor. I want to get another row of plywood down, then start on the hardwood part. That gives me some room where I can move a little furniture to make room to demolish the other half.

Chris and Larry started breaking up the ceramic tile in the kitchen before the dumpster goes away. It is a chore, and makes a mess!

Debby worked all day on the garden and landscaping before it rains.

The supply duct was basically finished today, he will be back Friday or Saturday to work again.

Great room today

I worked on the great room again. It took a long time to demolish the wood floor in the front hallway. I had to go get a 6 ft bar to do it. The rest of the day I spent getting prepared to put down plywood. The satellite TV installer came and moved the wire for me also. Tomorrow I hope to get a good day in installing plywood and hardwood.

Deb worked on mulching today, it looks better every day.

Great room progress

Worked on the floor all day today. Demolition of the carpeted area was in order. I sawed the particle board into smaller sections, then used a crowbar to pry it off the subfloor. Boy I cannot describe how I hate particle board. It would not stay together in order to pry it up, just broke into little pieces. It was late, but I did get all the old carpeted area done. I found I have some patching to do around the heat vents, not really sure how I am going to do it right now. Anyway, a new day tomorrow, I hope to get some plywood and hickory floor down tomorrow.

While I was doing that, Deb got the rets of the plants for the 2 front areas in. It looks nice, we are pleased.

Tim got some more supply duct in today, he will be back tomorrow to work on the geothermal for the house.

Great room

Big weekend on the great room. Deb and I got the ceiling primed Saturday, then painted the ceiling today. We like the off white color we picked for the ceiling. We have a decision to make when we start on the wall painting. The beam runs through the middle of the room. The beam is flat against one wall, but sits on a slight jut out on the other wall. We have been trying to decide to paint the beam off white like the ceiling or lt green like the wall. We have concluded that it needs to be light green because of the jut out on the wall. It can always be repainted if it turns out wrong. This afternoon I went up town to prepare for the floor demolition and replacement starting Monday. I picked some needed tools, the plywood and the hickory hardwood floor. I thought I would never get home. It took a long time to load, and a long time to get it strapped down properly. The load was top heavy, so a slow trip home through town was in order. After a swim with the family and supper, and with Chris and Larry's help, it all was unloaded in the garage before dark. I had planned to start in the middle and go each way, but after reading the directions, I have to start against one wall. We picked the North wall to start. I'm pretty sore tonight, and have very sore feet, just want to get some good rest and then hit it early and often tomorrow. Getting old I guess.

House geothermal now running, great room and landscaping

We now have the house geothermal up and running. A hearty thanks goes to Tim. He worked until almost 10pm last night to get the supply ducting ran where we could get AC for the weekend. We have no return ducting yet, and the supply is not final by any means, but at least now we can cool the house. Considering the rain and storms last night and this morning and the heat forecast for the weekend, we are really grateful. Not many contractors would have done what Tim did, working so late to get us air, especially when the day starts early. Our family gives a big thumbs up to him! And wow! Even on a somewhat crippled basis, does this unit ever cool a house fast! I started it up, and in no time, it had dropped 4 degrees to the set point. The 2 stage system works like a charm. I'm impressed, and its going to be interesting to see the performance when all the ducting is fully operational.

Now we can commence painting the great room! I want to get that going, I have a big job ahead of me on the floor especially, and the painting is not going to be an easy job working around the furniture.

We went up town yesterday and bought some more plants for the front area and the shade garden under the hawthorn.

Off to get started now!

Kim's home again

Everything turned out OK. She had the surgery to remove one of the stones, and has a stint in place. She still has more to deal with later, but for now she back on the road to recovery.

Kim had setback

Kim went in to the ER last night about 1am. She is having kidney stone issues again. They are checking her for sepsis before they do surgery, probably wont know anything until 8 to 10 am. A stone is lodged in the duct, causing great pain. More later.

Busy day

Tim came to work on the geothermal unit. He worked almost all day till about 4.

Durbin Enterprises came about 9am to do a flush and fill after hooking up the lines. It was almost 730 before they were done.

The drywall finishers came about 4 to put another coat of mud on. Tomorrow he said he is going to sand and spray the ceilings in the great room.

During the day, I got the ornamental grass area done on the SW corner of the house. Lots of cleanup and work was done out there, but glad its done

I have to get up at 4am tomorrow to go to work, so off to bed now.

Church dedication

Today is when Meadowbrook dedicated their new sanctuary. What a beautiful facility, it allows for so much more good work to be done. The energy was easily felt in service today, had a pretty packed house for first service too, even with the bigger facility. Its nice too, a 30 minute time for fellowship between services, and a lot more room to meet and greet. The article in the newspaer told the fact that the climate control system is geothermal, some big savings in heating and cooling costs are expected. It was very well thought out and planned, I am very impressed.